


aspiring rebel, lee dongmin

by sarangway



Category: ASTRO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-30 07:19:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10157282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarangway/pseuds/sarangway
Summary: lee dongmin is going to rebel if it's the last thing he does, and moon bin is the best guy to teach him how.





	1. step one: infiltrate their ranks

                Lee Dongmin just stormed out of his house for the first time in his life. He could lie and say that this wasn’t momentous and eye-opening, but just because he was a _rebel_ didn’t mean he had to be a sinner too. After all, he was still a good boy, he just really wanted a taste of the dangerous life (albeit without cigarettes). He still had boundaries of course.

                Unfortunately, his parents weren’t worried, they were actually relieved that Dongmin was going through this “phase”. Oh no, Dongmin was going to prove them wrong. This wasn’t a phase, this was him now. A tough mean guy that was gonna push little kids off of swing sets – if there wasn’t a chance of them getting hurt. But he was _so_ going to do it and he knew exactly who to ask for advice.

                His school was separated into cliques as most schools are, his being mostly a mix of the honor society club kids and the student council. He quit that and put those days behind in, leaving him with a clean slate and a lot of work to overcome his pristine record. He stopped tucking in his shirt and even wore eyeliner today (which he smudged off on the bus ride, he did look a bit foolish), and he even wore converse instead of his dress shoes. Really, Dongmin was a changed man.

                He knew some other changed men that hung out on the steps during all the breaks school gave them, and he found them seated on the steps that very morning. Among them were quite a few kids, the only heads he knew being Yoon Sanha and Moon Bin, Sanha because he didn’t fit in, and Bin because he was clearly the leader. Exactly the man Dongmin needed. So he marched up the steps and stood menacingly over Bin, his hands positioned on his hips and a scowl on his face. “I,” he mustered all of his power and might. “need you to teach me how to be a rebel.”

                There was an uncomfortable pause, the other boys looking at each other with a look of ‘what the heck’ and Dongmin was squirming. Bin let out a sigh and set down his phone, standing up on the stair over him. Suddenly Dongmin wasn’t hovering over him, and Bin looked a lot scarier. “You want me to what?”

                “Teach me, you punk!” His eyes wavered but Bin kept a steady gaze, their stand-off making his knees lock. Bin was definitely the coolest rebel Dongmin knew. They continued their staring match for a moment until the other rebels stood up, Sanha tapping Bin’s shoulder. His eyes turned lazily and he nodded, picking up his backpack and heading inside. Dongmin followed him relentlessly, there was no way Bin was going to escape him when this was the most pivotal moment in his life. “Come on, we all know you’re the most rebellious person at this school. I really need you to help me.”

                Bin stopped in his tracks, turning to give Dongmin a smirk that made his heart quiver. “Prove it.”

                “What?”

                “I said,” Bin took a step closer and Dongmin took a half-step back. “Prove it.”

                Dongmin frowned, his eyebrows furrowing together. He sure didn’t remember rebels challenging people who wanted their help, but he would fight him if he had to. And by fight, he meant beg. “Please, I really really _really_ want to be a rebel. It’s like, my life-long dream or something! I really need to prove to my family that I’m not just some goody-two-shoes! I have a lot of potential!”

                Dongmin was interrupted by a hand covering his face, Bin letting out a noise of disgust. “God, don’t you know rebels don’t beg?” He moved his hand back, pushing the perfectly straightened bangs out of Dongmin’s forehead. “We have a lot of work to do, President Dongmin.”

                “I quit.” Dongmin sure didn’t remember when his voice had lowered to a whisper, but he could barely make out a word right now. “I’m not the student council president.”

                “You’re as red as a tomato.” Bin grinned and took a step back, Sanha whining in the back that he was taking too long. “See you after school, Dongmin, but lose the blazer.”

                “Blazer? What blazer?” Dongmin wiggled the blazer off his shoulders and threw it on the ground. “I’m not wearing a blazer.” Bin just laughed, waving as he walked off to catch up with Sanha, leaving Dongmin very sure this wasn’t an easy road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have put (1) message on hiatus because the coding is giving me massive issues :((!! but here, have some bad boy bin and good boy dongmin because it's all i love in this world. i am so extremely ready for this fic so i'll probably procrastinate everything else lol  
> hit me (up) [@starrybinu](http://starrybinu.tumblr.com)


	2. step two: intrigue the leader

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unedited

                Blazers might not be rebellious, but they sure were good at keeping out the cold air. Hence why Dongmin slipped his back on for just a few moments. That boy was trouble, the type of trouble that made adrenaline run through his veins, the type of trouble he would have avoided a month ago. But that was what made him so perfect for the job.

                The wait for after school was a surprisingly long one, his focus on the windows and the doors, wondering if maybe he would stumble upon Bin. He did, once, but after Bin shot him a _look_ , he got so scared he had to duck into the nearest classroom. He was trying his best, really, but Bin was terrifying and intimating and Dongmin had every right to be frightened. Sure, Dongmin was like two inches taller than him, but did _he_ wear a leather jacket and perfectly styled hair? Never in his life.

                Still, he took off the blazer and shoved it into his backpack before walking over to Bin with a grin on his face. Or do rebels not smile? He stopped smiling, just in case. It was just Bin and Sanha now, Sanha giving Bin a high five and walking away, a quick glance at Dongmin making him hurry. Bin turned around, his hands shoved in his pockets. Dongmin shoved _his_ hands in his pockets. Bin was constantly giving advice from just standing, what an amazing person he was. Bin cocked an eyebrow at the gesture.

                “Are you copying me?” Bin leaned on the wall, holding back a grin.

                “Of course not! Unless I should be. Then yes I am.” He nervously laughed, Bin dropping his backpack and moving over to the steps. He patted the concrete next to him.

                “I see you listened to me.” Bin crossed his arm, but Dongmin was too busy pulling out a notebook and pen. “It makes me wonder what else you would do if I just asked you.”

                Dongmin scrunched his nose up, rummaging through his pocket for a pencil. “I trust you have my best interest in heart. If not, I’ll tell your friends you were looking at pictures of dogs instead of listening to them today.”

                “Yah!” Bin growled, leaning in until Dongmin was uncomfortable enough to scoot back. “Don’t try and threaten me.”

                He was sure threatening people was a rebellious thing to do, but Dongmin seemed to be getting a lot of things wrong lately. They sat in silence, Bin taking out a cigarette (or, no, it was a Peppero stick, Dongmin was just paranoid). He wasn’t sure what to ask him, so he just mimicked his posture and pretended his pencil was a Peppero stick. Bin sure wasn’t focused on him, even taking out his phone and scrolling on his Instagram. Dongmin was fine with this, it gave him time to open his notebook and write down any burning questions, including ‘what cologne do rebels use? is it some kind of special cologne that smells like cars?’ If there was, Bin wasn’t wearing it, because he smelled like a mix of freshly baked bread and testosterone.

                Bin broke his stare from his phone and to Dongmin again, a tough glare making Dongmin want to curl into a ball. He reached over and pushed his hair out of his eyes for a second time that day, holding it there for a moment before reaching into his pocket and taking out tiny hair clips. He clipped Dongmin’s hair in place, leaning back to admire his handiwork. He was sure it looked great, but Dongmin wanted to run his fingers through and go back to the familiar feeling of bangs.  

                “You look good that way.” Bin tilted his head to the side and Dongmin saw just a tiny sliver of cuteness. But that was quickly hurried away when Bin stood up, gesturing for Dongmin to stand as well. He hurriedly gathered this things, flipping his notebook to an empty page and beginning a walk to the subway station. Bin took out another Peppero stick from his pocket (a rebel’s pocket held a lot of things), and chattered about the sky and his day and how he almost fought someone. Dongmin wrote this information down diligently, keeping himself directly behind Bin so he could jot everything down and not worry about running into a light pole. However, Bin stopped suddenly and his head bumped his back. “What are you doing?”

                “I’m writing it down.” Wasn’t that obvious? You take notes for what you want to learn.

                “You got to be kidding me.” Dongmin frowned. He definitely messed up, but how would he remember all this good advice? “Dongmin, listen-”

                He raised his pencil to the paper. Bin narrowed his eyes, closing his mouth again and Dongmin moving his pencil down. Bin opened his mouth again and Dongmin prepped to write for a second time, Bin getting fed up and reaching for it. He shrieked and jumped back, holding the notebook close to his chest. “This is important!”

                “You’re a nerd, give me the notebook.” Bin held out his hand as a warning, but Dongmin shook his head. “I _said_ -”

                Dongmin darted out of the way before he could snatch it, skipping backwards as he waved. “Goodbye, Rebel Bin! I’ll make sure to style my hair tomorrow.” And with that, he ran to the subway by himself, his fingers holding the notebook so tightly his knuckles turned white.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GIVE HIM THE NOTEBOOK, GOSH DANG IT DORKMIN  
> anyway, hope u like it, because i like forehead dongmin and so does bin (this is canon i swear)  
> hit me (up) [@starrybinu](starrybinu.tumblr.com/)


	3. step three: organize a disguise

                “Bin!” His hair was bouncing the same way he was, his hands wringing out. The outfit he was wearing was definitely outside of his comfort zone, black skinny jeans and a faded tee not being his regular aesthetic. He had managed to style his hair at least (despite having to ask his mom for help) and he did think he looked good in the mirror. However, Sanha let out a snort and Bin looked like he was going to choke. “I took your advice. Now what?”

                “God Dongmin, you look like a trainwreck.” He frowned at him, a quick look up and down showing that he wasn’t as good looking as he thought. “Who the hell dressed you?”

                “Mom!” Heat bubbled up to his cheeks, squirming at the judgmental looks Bin’s friends are looking at him with. “My mom did. She thought this was what rebels did.” He laughed nervously. “That’s silly, right?”

                Sanha grinned at Bin, getting up and walking off with the other rebels. Dongmin’s fingers were trembling, but his hands were shoved in his skinny jeans so he could barely feel them. Bin gestured for Dongmin to come closer, “Let’s take off the chain belt, and you can wear my jacket.” His fingers ran through his hair, ruffling the tight waves and adjusting the shoulders.

                “It’s too big for me.” Dongmin frowned, the length of the sleeves right but the size too large.

                “Probably because I’m muscular.” A phone beep made Bin look down, a glance at Dongmin making him nervous again. “We’re gonna ditch school. Wanna go together?”

                This was the peak of what he knew about rebels so far, the idea of skipping school being the most important part of this practice. Once he left school grounds illegally, once he was _truant_ , he was official part of the in-crowd. Dongmin had never left campus before, not even for lunch. He had skipped class before, but that was for student council and he was allowed. But today he was piling into a car, sitting right next to a scary looking boy with a lip piercing, Bin in the driver’s seat. The car was silent for a little bit, Bin adjusting the seat and Sanha plugging in his phone. Although Dongmin expected them to blast Giriboy or Jay Park, but instead he heard Just Right by GOT7 start to play.

                If Dongmin remembered well, his idea of a common playlist being hip-hop or hard rap, not this bubbly music. Not that he _minded_ , he actually really enjoyed this song, and according to Bin’s fingers tapping on the steering wheel so did he. They turned into the mall’s parking lot and parked. “Alright. Meet us back here at twelve.” All that was left was Bin and Dongmin.

                That was fine, because despite Dongmin being an inch taller than Bin, he was incredibly intimidated by all the other rebels at the mall, and definitely needed to be protected by someone strong. “So…what are we doing?”

                “Shopping. For you.”

                Despite being doubtful on his rebel status, the stores that Bin led him into restored his faith quickly. “What do I need first?”

                They looked through the racks for a few minutes, Bin holding up various jackets and shirts to Dongmin and gaging how good it looked. His eyebrows furrowed at every piece. “You ooze student president. I don’t think dark clothes should be anywhere near you.” He picked up a white shirt, squinting for a moment before pushing him towards the dressing room. “Tuck it in, too.”

                Dongmin tried it on and spun around, the mirror telling him he looked more like a pirate than a tough guy, but he still trusted Bin’s judgement. He hesitated before opening the dressing room door, clearing his throat so Bin would look up. The phone he held was tucked away in his pocket and his eyes squinted. He nodded and told him to wrap it up. Inside, Dongmin was giddy to know he had finally met the aesthetic of his mentor.

                A few minutes later, he had his _own_ leather jacket and a few accessories, their walk around the mall stopping to grab a pastry and continuing. It was nice, strangely enough, to spend time with Bin. He wasn’t as scary as Dongmin thought he was – even if he still looked intimidating. For one, he had bought that little girl a drink too, and he also had bought that jacket and shirt for him. Maybe being a rebel wasn’t all about beating people up and disobeying authority. Maybe it was about caring for a community, and –

                “…ear piercing.”

                “What?” Dongmin’s thoughts were broken as he stared at the store in front of him, two high school girls leaving with a tiny bag and pierced ears. He looked over at Bin and shook his head quickly. “No way. There is _no way_ I’m getting my ears pierced.”

                “Why not? I thought you’d do anything?” Bin grinned, one that Dongmin very much didn’t appreciate.

                “I’m still older than you.” His voice cracked, and Bin grabbed his hand and led him in anyway. The store was tiny, just shoved between the pharmacy and hair salon. The only things they sold was cheap jewelry and accessories for little kids, geared more towards little girls. The few phone cases were put up for the middle school and high school crowd, the ones who came in for their ear piercings. Bin, Dongmin noticed, had earrings himself, even an odd one that was on the top of his ear. But there had to be a limit to how rebellious he was, right?

                Bin showed him the earrings he had to choose from, a few pretty sparkling studs similar to the ones Bin had in. They _were_ pretty…“Does it hurt?”

                He shook his head, grabbing some studs and not even trying to hide his smile. “Go ahead, ask the woman.”

                He hesitated but went up after a minute, handing over the studs and sitting down where the worker told him to. Bin looked like he was surprised Dongmin followed through, but he was very dedicated to his goal. If piercing his ears meant he would be a rebel, then he would pierce a thousand ears. And, well, he would buy a few hats to cover his ears from his mother.

                The woman came back with the needle and Dongmin’s hand darted out to grab Bin’s, his eyes squeezing shut as the piercing gun made the tiny holes and the woman put the earrings in. It took five minutes, maybe, but to him it felt like an eternity of pain. Still, he got a pat on the shoulder and a lollipop, just in time for them to have to make their way back to the car. Their hand-holding lingered just a little too long, Dongmin shaking them apart quickly once he noticed. Bin still had that stupid grin on his face.

                “Hey, I take it back.” Bin opened the door for Dongmin, letting him walk in front. “You might just be the perfect rebel material.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a late update!! i feel bad :(   
> i haven't been really inspired as of late, and i really haven't liked my writing either? i pushed through with this though, and i hope it paid off!!  
> also, thank you so so sooo much to sanhasbinu on tumblr for making me this [amazing fanart](https://starrybinu.tumblr.com/post/158938063170/sanhasbinu-i-keep-going-back-to-read-aspiring), i will treasure it forever <3  
> hit me (up) [@starrybinu](https://starrybinu.tumblr.com/)!


	4. step four: get comfortable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THREE. WHOLE. MONTHS.

“Hats are in, Mom.” A struggle before the hat was teared from her hands. “I really think we should invest in this trend.”

“Dongmin…have you hit your head?”

He gave her an uncomfortable look and scoffed. If only she knew that he was covering his ears for a reason. The impromptu earrings inspired by his rebel leader, Moon Bin, had proven very difficult to hide once he got home. Rushing up the stairs after school wasn’t enough when he usually went shopping with his mom. Today it was groceries (Dongmin had to remind her NOT to get the juice boxes with the rabbits on them, wolves were much cooler and would definitely impress Bin).

It was the weekend now, he had been hanging with Bin for a few days. The leather jacket and styled hair were comfortable to him now, even if it meant his mom would muss it up when he walked through the door. His dad just chuckled at him. He was happier with himself, the long-term dreams of being a rebel feeling a little closer to him. Maybe one day he could co-lead the group! That was, if the Sanha boy wasn’t next in line. That was irrelevant, he was older-

Suddenly, he bumped into someone and heard his mom hiss at him to step back. A few dazed blinks and Dongmin took a step behind him. “I’m sorry!”

“Hey, Dongmin.” Once his eyes focused on the boy in front of him, he realized it was Bin. A startled smile appeared until his mother nudged him. He quickly introduced Bin to her, and she shook his hand with a slight surprise at how mannered he was. Even if he was in more casual clothes, Dongmin was sure that he oozed the rebel vibes that had drawn him in the beginning. Before he could explain that he was shopping right now, Bin asked if he could steal Dongmin from her. His mother nodded and hurried off – probably a little relieved to be away from the boy that tried to force hats down her throat not too long ago.

Bin took out one of his infamous Pocky sticks and made his way down the aisles, grabbing some gum and a bag of candy and making his way to the cashier. Dongmin followed closely behind, the notes being written in his mind in fear of another notebook incident. The words ‘you might just be the perfect rebel material’ had been playing in his head since Bin said them and that meant no messing up again.

Once they had split the candy bag between them and threw it away, Dongmin expected Bin’s parents to roll up in a car and drop them off somewhere. However, there was a much more daunting task in front of him.

_A motorcycle._

If Lee Dongmin knew anything during his extensive rebel studies, it was that a motorcycle was truly the peak of the culture. There was something so captivating about Bin putting on his helmet and handing one to – wait. This wasn’t going to happen. _Dongmin_ wasn’t going to ride the motorcycle. His eyes widened as Bin gave up and tossed it to him, sitting and waiting for him to put it on.

“Am I…am I ready?” He watched Bin choke back a laugh and nod.

“Just put your arms around my waist. Or, if you aren’t comfortable with that, sit on your hands.” Bin got off the motorcycle to adjust the straps on Dongmin’s helmet and give him a pat on the back. “Really not that big of a deal, just thought it would be something you’d like.”

He had no idea what Bin was talking about, this was the biggest deal. He carefully sat behind Bin (on his hands – he didn’t want to seem strange for putting his arms around him). That was, until the motorcycle was revved into life and Dongmin was so startled he let out a squeak and buried his face in Bin’s back. A point they never teach you was that motorcycles were very loud and very scary. It’s important to keep a professional rebel with you to make sure everything runs smoothly. What if the motorcycle suddenly exploded with no rebels to help? Then you would be stripped of your rebel title. These were all conclusions made before Bin had even left the parking lot, of course.

Once the motorcycle started moving, Dongmin’s heart was beating at a million miles per hour. Bin was moving so slowly, too, trying to be considerate, but it wasn’t helping. “I’m gonna get on the road now.”

Slowly but surely, he worked up speed and started going down the road. Dongmin peeked around Bin’s shoulders but caught him as he swerved between two cars and that made him hide his face again. Rebels must go to a school for this, all of it was such scary work. A sharp turn made Dongmin’s grip tighter, the fabric in the front of his shirt bundling up under Dongmin’s hands. A slow and then a stop at a red light made Dongmin realize what he was doing and he shifted back quickly, incredibly embarrassed. He was sure that rebels didn’t get so nervous on bikes and he was _especially_ sure that rebels didn’t think about how nicely muscular another rebel’s back was. Truly beside the point.

The bike started back up and Bin began a scenic route down the highway and along the coast, an off-the-beaten-path type of road that made Dongmin anxious but also incredibly relaxed. There was something so breath-taking about the soft water that hit the rocks and the fact that Bin was the one taking him here. It wasn’t something he expected, really, he coined him as a ‘steal a kid’s lunch money’ type, not a ‘go on artistic rides’ type. Either way it was a pleasant surprise.

The motorcycle slowed down at a cliff-like side of the road, and finally Bin parked it on the side closest to the road. He removed his helmet and helped Dongmin out of his, sitting down on the gravelly ground and overlooking the sea with him. The sounds of the crashing waves left the silence between them comfortable, more comfortable than Dongmin had expected. It was nice to have a moment away from the busy part of his life, a moment to appreciate what was around him and get lost in his thoughts. Bin broke them after a few minutes.

“Listen, Dongmin.” The wind blew through Bin’s hair like a soft hand. “I really don’t get your obsession with this whole rebel thing.”

“I wish I did. It’s nice to see that you’re so passionate about this all. I guess it also makes me laugh that you really quit all of what you had just to wear a leather jacket. Maybe you didn’t know you could do both. But, let me assure you, it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It sucked being the new kid in the group, the only one that didn’t do drugs or drink or blackmail people into doing my homework. I got made fun of a lot – by people I really looked up to and thought were the best of the best. In reality, they were horrible influences.”

“I was lucky that I was strong enough to keep myself together and not care about it. But I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t let that group stay so nasty, that it could be just like a tiny community of people. I wanted it to be as simple as wearing a leather jacket. The idea of someone like _Sanha_ being forced into that made me upset.”

A pause as he glanced at him with a warm smile. “I’m glad that you joined us, Dongmin. Not just because you’re a damn nerd or goof, but because it shows that I mended my group enough to want someone like you, someone I always secretly wanted to be, join.” There was another pause before he got up and ruffled Dongmin’s hair a bit, putting his helmet back on and sitting on the bike to signal they should make their way back now.

It took a minute for Dongmin to process it all and couldn’t help a few sniffles before he wiped his eyes from the slight tearing and said “thank you Rebel President Leader Moon Bin” for more than just allowing him to join the group, but for opening up and making Dongmin learn so much about himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really can't believe it either. i outdid myself with not updating for three months. I HOPE THIS SATISFIES ALL OF THE SENSES AFTER THAT HORRIBLY LONG WAIT <3 if not, feel free to fight me. i will let u win.  
> i'm on a bit of a hiatus but i did change urls! hit me (up) @ [revetoile](https://revetoile.tumblr.com/)!


	5. step five: practice self-defense

                Being a part of a group like the one Bin had built was a huge honor for Dongmin, and he had to admit that admired Bin a lot because of it. Maybe past admiring, he had begun to realize lately. He caught himself staring at Bin as he talked with his face resting in his hands one too many times.

                He also noticed himself following him around a lot more, stopping suddenly when Bin would turn around and narrow his eyes, asking what he was doing. Nothing, he would reply, it was always nothing. Mostly because he wasn’t too sure what he was doing, either. Still, he was a subordinate to Rebel Leader Moon Bin, and he should remember his place!

                The next few weeks were easy ones, the end of the semester approaching and he began to see Bin a lot less. He had finals after all…and even his rebel tendencies were on pause to study properly. Even it he wasn’t going to be class president anymore, his grades still mattered. Once the semester ended it was winter break, the snow was already on the horizon and Dongmin had to remember to ask Bin what rebels wore in the winter. Were fingerless gloves really that effective?

                One of these late fall nights he was walking down the streets with his hands full of grocery bags (a pack of pepero somehow snuck in there, who knew how or who was thinking about when it did). His house was a bit far from the main street but a few bus stops down allowed him to get home fine anyway. Still, the walk down was a bit long and passed quite a few buildings and it _was_ getting late, so he tried his best to be cautious. Dongmin has never gotten in trouble with a criminal before, nor has he ever fist fought someone, nor has he ever even _seen_ a physical fight. He was almost kidnapped once, but when he started crying and wouldn’t stop the man gave up rather quickly. Maybe being annoying had its perks, he decided after that day.

                He was probably protected by an angel, or something, he would have to ask his mom about that when he got home-

                Dongmin stopped suddenly when he felt a hand on his shoulder, a strong grip that definitely belonged to someone scary. All he could do was yell and turn around quickly, swinging his bag to hit whoever was trying to attack him. His eyes shut the second he turned around and he heard a loud ‘oof’ come from whoever he just hit. When he peeked at whether he needed to hit a second time or not, he instantly recognized the man doubled over and clutching his stomach as _Bin._

                “OH MY GOD.” Dongmin’s voice came out panicked and he dropped his bag quickly, surely the eggs didn’t survive that. “Moon Bin? Oh my god, _oh my god_ -”

                “Dongmin what the hell was that?” Bin tried to straighten up but doubled over again, crouching down and shaking his head. Dongmin crouched down too, frowning and trying to figure out how to help him. “Jesus, all I wanted to do was make sure it was you, you didn’t have to assault me.”

                “I’m _so_ sorry!”  He hooked his arm around Bin’s back and helped him up slowly, Bin leaning on Dongmin and giving him a scowl. He bent down slightly and “I didn’t know I hit so hard. Are you alright?”

                Bin nodded slowly, their walk beginning towards the bus stop a few blocks away from them. Bin grunted when Dongmin tried to reposition his arm, so he quickly put it back and they walked a little slower. He kept apologizing until they sat down at the bench, Dongmin pulling out his phone and checking the next bus times. He jumped as his phone started ringing, ‘Mom’ lighting up the room. “Hello? Mom?” He paused as Bin looked over at him. “Oh, um, I’m at the bus stop, I got a little sidetracked. Yeah, I’m with a friend.” Another pause. “Moon Bin.” He glanced over and looked away quickly. “Uh-huh. Alright. I’ll see you in a bit.” He hung up and let out a small sigh. “My mom wants you to come over.”

                “So, I’m going to my attacker’s house?” He grinned as Dongmin sputtered a bit, stumbling as he stood up, the bus approaching the bench and stopping slowly. “Come on, let’s go.”

                The ride back to his house was a bit long, a little over twenty minutes, and siting next to Bin and watching him look out the window was making him extremely nervous. For goodness sake, he was already so anxious around him lately and then he had to injure him. And now he had to watch the light from the streetlights outside slowly filter over his face as they passed under them. This was totally unfair.

                Another ten minutes of suffering and they arrived at the stop just two houses over from Dongmin’s. They made their way back slowly again, but his mother was already waiting on his porch with an apron around her waist. Oh god, he wasn’t staying for dinner was he? There was no way he’d be able to get that domestic idea out of his head. Still, his mom sat them down on the couch as she set the table, telling Dongmin to take his coat and scolding him for hitting him with the bag and breaking all the eggs. Dinner was ready fast and his parents were sitting at the table across from Dongmin and Bin now, a quick introduction to his father already making them start up a conversation.

                “Bin, how do you know Dongmin exactly?” His dad took another bite of his ramyun and his mom wiped the corner of his mouth. “From the student council?”

                “Oh, er, from a club.”

                Dongmin sat up straighter and shuffled in his chair. “Actually, this is Rebel Leader Moon Bin.”

                Bin’s face lit up in a blush and he started coughing, Dongmin’s mom covering her face to hide her grin. “Well, wait a second-”

                “He’s my mentor too! And, I got earrings!” Dongmin pulled his hair back and showed the tiny studs he had hid from his parents for the last three weeks. Bin took a glance over to Dongmin with widened eyes, a glimmer of admiration for his passion evident in his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS DEDICATED TO [VONSEAL](VONSEAL.TUMBLR.COM) BC I LOVE HER VERY MUCH!  
> hit me (up) @[chanight](chanight.tumblr.com)


	6. step six: protect family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: violence

                After Bin had left a few days ago, his parents were surprisingly supportive of him. His mother gave him a few teasing comments that lingered (like her ‘it was nice meeting your boyfriend’ before she went up to bed) but overall Dongmin felt good about them meeting. Plus, he had gotten Bin’s number and a hair ruffle when he went out, a soft smile resting on his features that Dongmin was sure made his heart skip _one, two, three_ beats as he walked off.

                Bin had to expect that he would text him about anything he saw, the dog crossing the street in a dog sweater or the butterfly that landed on the dog’s nose being perfect candidates. Bin still answered patiently even if it was just an emoji here and there. Dongmin was thankful for it, too.

                It was one of those afternoons to walk home after classes without Bin, and his distractions were plenty since it was approaching the holidays. The lights and trees were so beautiful even if it was still light out, and the couples around him made him feel surprisingly cozy rather than lonely. His phone was already out and snapping as many photos as he could, walking down and past a few shops he would mentally note to go back to with Bin when they had the time. As his camera was up, he noticed some noises coming out of an alleyway just a few steps ahead of him. He bit his lip, carefully weighing the possibilities of it being some altercation that he was definitely unprepared for, but his sense of rebellion told him that checking would be the best thing to do.

                A peak around the corner surprised him, two men standing over some other guy who was on the ground, a hand wiping off what appeared to be blood coming from his nose. He used his camera to zoom into the man’s face, and to his horror he recognized it as Yoon Sanha instantly.

                The lanky rebel tried to stand back up, but one of the men kicked him back down. The attackers seemed rather lax considering the situation, hands shoved into their pockets without a care in the world. Sanha however had furrowed eyebrows and a scared look under all of his flexing that Dongmin could recognize. He needed help. Dongmin used the few seconds he had before another kick to Sanha’s stomach to take a photo and send it to Bin, texting “help” immediately after. A deep breath in was taken as he shoved the phone into his pocket, stepping into view of Sanha and making himself vulnerable to the attackers.

                “Hey. What do you think you’re doing?”

                Dongmin had never been visually intimidating in his life, but he could definitely say that with a certain voice and look in his eyes he could come off as at least ten percent scarier than he was (ten percent of zero was still zero, but it sounded nice). His hands were shaking but since they were balled into fists it was hard to tell. He didn’t know Sanha very well, but he still felt like he had to protect him as much as he could. Sanha gave him a look that was mixed between thankful and terrified, as if to say ‘thanks for the thought, now get out of here’.

                The men turned to look at him and chuckled, a glance back at Sanha connecting them. “Who are you?”

                “My name is Lee Dongmin, and I’m a rebel.” A step closer. “And that is my brother under rebel rules. So, unless you want to fight, I suggest you take a step back from him.”

                He was sure it was a lot more intimidating than funny, but the men burst out into laughter that left Dongmin stunned. Another kick to Sanha and they turned their attention to him. “Fine, come and fight us then.”

                Maybe he should have thought this through, he realized as the men started walking towards him and he realized he didn’t know how to fight other than hitting people with grocery bags. A swing at his head made him duck quickly, dodging it just by a few seconds. “Are you gonna fight or run around like a rat?”

                Not that he would say this in other situations, but he’d rather be a rat right now. Another dodge until he backed into the other guy, suddenly being pulled back against a wall. The impact of hitting the bricks made his spine shiver, and facing the scary man in the eyes was a lot worse. Just as he closed his eyes to not have to watch himself get punched, the man’s arm was pulled back by Sanha suddenly. However, he was quickly thrown aside and Dongmin’s nose got a fist slammed into it. He didn’t hear a crack as he expected, but blood did start to pour out and onto his shirt. Before he could react, he saw the man be teared off od Dongmin and thrown to the ground, someone throwing punches at his face faster than he could count. The mystery man was almost dragged off as a punch came to the side of his head, but he was quick to hit the other guy too.

                Before Dongmin knew it, Sanha had grabbed his hand and began running out of the alley with him, and they didn’t stop until they had reached a café a few blocks away. His hand was squeezed red as the blood that now covered his face and shirt.

***

                Sanha came out of the café’s restroom surprisingly refreshed, almost as if he had done it before. The scratches were still there, and he could see a few bruises forming on his face, but the blood was gone. Sanha dropped a few dampened napkins on the table for Dongmin to clean himself up too, but his nose was too sore to do more than just wipe off from around his lips. They were silent for a moment, the coffees Dongmin had ordered letting off a line of steam.

                “Do you…do you know who that was?”

                “It was Bin-hyung.” Sanha took a sip but cringed softly, even putting the cup to his lips leaving him in pain.

                “Bin? Moon Bin?” Dongmin took his phone out quickly, millions of messages reading not to interfere and that he would be there soon left unread as Dongmin went to try and help. He felt guilty. “is he still fighting? Shouldn’t we call the police?”

                “Don’t worry, Bin-hyung always calls the police before he comes and fights them off until they get there.”

                “Has this happened before?” Silence assured Dongmin that it had. “Sanha, you should be going to the hospital, you aren’t okay and you’re clearly in pain.”

                He got up and slapped a five thousand won on the table, a mumbled ‘thank you Dongmin-hyung’ barely caught as he left the café. Fine, Dongmin decided, he had to find out where Bin was now anyways.

***

                It took three calls to get through to Bin, and it was finally answered by a nurse at the hospital. He was lucky he hadn’t opened the call with yelling at him for getting hurt, and the nurse assured him that he was going to be okay and told him the address to come see him. He made his way as fast as he could (even using his allowance money on a taxi). Once he arrived at the hospital, he ran to the room and walked in panting, Bin resting in a bed by the window with bandages around his hand and wounds littering his face. “Bin…”

                He gave Dongmin a smile, but the expression grew sterner as he came closer and sat next to his bed. “I told you not to get involved. You hurt your nose, didn’t you?”

                “It doesn’t matter! You’re injured!”

                “I’m at a hospital, Dongmin, I’ll be fine.” He still looked pretty perplexed, so Bin used his unhurt hand (other than a few minor sketches) to pat Dongmin’s head. “You were very brave back there. A loyal rebel if I’ve ever seen one.”

                “It’s not fair, I should have been able to fight for you.” Bin tried to shake his head to assure him it was alright, but a pain through his neck made him whimper. A nurse walked in and shooed Dongmin out of the room, and Bin gave him a final smile before he had to make his way out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it is, the climax of the story! there's gonna be like 2 chaps more i think and then its over??? crazy idea???????? i just wanna finish all these fics and start 2018 with just new ones *-* i promise the next two chaps will be as lighthearted as before tho, this was just the necessary action one lol  
> hit me (up) @[chanight](http://chanight.tumblr.com)


	7. step seven: take a break to worry

                The idea of hanging out with the other rebels while Bin was out in the hospital wasn’t his favorite situation, but if he was going to be a rebel that meant he would have to go to their meeting and give as much info as he knew about the situation. Sanha assured him that it wasn’t as big of a deal as he assumed it was, and that people had gone after him before without any outside help as well. Though, Dongmin was sure that he only mentioned the last bit to make a point that he didn’t need Dongmin’s help the previous day. He ignored the comment for now.

                Other rebels seemed unbothered by this problem, the only person who was in distress being Dongmin of course. Especially since he decided that he had to take it upon himself to visit him every day with some soup to help him recover. He had gotten his nose a bit patched up when he had gone yesterday, and had caught a glimpse of Sanha checking in on his way out. Even if the kid insisted he was a punk, he always did listen to him.

                After they went their separate ways for the day, Dongmin made his way to the hospital with the broth he prepared swinging in his hands. He wasn’t sure how he could help Bin past this, especially with leading the rebels. School wasn’t out for break yet either which meant that his few weeks spent in the hospital would make him fall behind on exams as well. Maybe that would be how he helped, Dongmin thought as he made his way up the stairs and to the check-out desk. Whether he quit the school council or not, he was still just as smart after all.

                He knocked on Bin’s door lightly, peaking in through the window and making eye contact with him. His dad was sitting in the chair next to him, and he opened the door and bowed at him quickly. “Hello Mr. Moon, I was just going, I made some broth for Bin though.” His father glanced over at Bin with a smile, standing up and assuring him that it would be alright, he had to make his way to work now anyway. Once he left, Dongmin took his seat and smiled as he unpacked the broth from his bag. “Are you feeling any better today?”

                “Mm, thanks to your food yesterday.” Bin sat up a bit and watched him unpack the food with a hidden smile. “You really don’t have to, though, I’ll be here another two weeks probably and you have school.”

                “It’s alright, I’ve been keeping up with studying.” He set the bowl on the pull-out tray and gestured for Bin to open his mouth. The injuries he got weren’t horrible, a fractured finger and nose along with a lot of minor scratches littering his face. Dongmin had a fractured nose as well, but he couldn’t feel it when he was staring at all of Bin’s bandages. “Everyone misses you, y’know.”

                It wasn’t that it was a _lie,_ it’s just that really Dongmin had no idea since they never showed him if they did. Still, he was sure that they did since Bin was basically the father of the group. Bin took another bite and nodded, glancing over at the ginger with hopeful eyes. Dongmin got the hint and handed him a piece. “I’ve been gone for longer, they’ll survive.”

                Dongmin nodded slowly, taking a bite of ginger for himself. “Who’s in charge when you’re gone then? Is there like a vice-president for rebels?”

                “Hm, no not really. They’re all adults you know. Besides, we aren’t doing anything in particular and a lot of them are graduating this year. Entrance exams are coming up soon.”

                _Entrance exams_. Those foreboding tests that if he hadn’t become a rebel would have consumed his entire life by now. Dongmin frowned as he stirred the bowl and tried to give Bin another bite, instead leading him to spill it and Bin to make a sharp noise.

***

                Now that he thought about it more, he wasn’t even sure where Bin was going to apply for college. Dongmin already knew that it didn’t matter where he applied, he would most likely get in, especially considering he threw away the ideas of extra curriculars on the last semester of his senior year. He hadn’t even technically quit student council, either. No matter what, his resumé was ready for even Seoul University.

                But when he considered it, he wasn’t sure how Bin had taken school. Did he have good grades too? Or did he throw away that idea because he had become a rebel? His phone lit up with a message from one of his class groupchats but he ignored it, staring intently at his laptop screen and frowning. It wasn’t like he could text Bin right now and ask after all, but that just made him more frustrated. Then again, he realized that Bin didn’t have to worry about colleges just quite yet, considering he was a year younger than him and not graduating for another year anyway.

                The realization that he was going to have to leave Bin soon was taking a huge toll on his mood that night, and it ended up following him around the next day too. He had walked by half of the rebels that day without even noticing them, and before he knew it he was on the hospital steps with a bag of kimbap and pepero in his hand. He didn’t remember buying the food or even the school day really, and he surely didn’t remember walking all this way here either. Still, he made his way to the room and sat down with a heavy sigh, Bin in his bed watching him come in with curious eyes.

                “Rebel Dongmin, you’re here early.” Dongmin stood back up to give his obligatory hug to Bin and let out another groan, plopping into the chair once more. “What’s wrong?”

                “What’s gonna happen when I graduate and you’re still in high school?” His expression was puppy-like when they made eye-contact.

                “Are you worrying about that, Min?” Bin gave him a soft smile, holding out his hand for his food and Dongmin quickly unpacking it for the two of them. “Where are you planning on going to school?”

                Dongmin thought for a moment, taking a bite and frowning. He wasn’t sure at all, even after his long night of research and trying to find what would be best for his future and still closest to town. His heart already hurt, when he wasn’t even going to graduate for another semester let alone leave down for another year almost. But there was something that already made him feel so attached to Bin (maybe unrightfully so, he was barely his friend, a tiny voice in Dongmin’s head insisted.).

                “I can promise you I’m not going anywhere, at the very least.” Bin took a bite and grimaced for a moment from the pain, wiping the corner of his mouth and grinning through full cheeks. For some reason, a big part of Dongmin’s heart trusted what he said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so there's like one more chap to this but lowkey i might update it a few times w some little scenes u kno? idk man hjkgd also i might update it w just some comic strips or something who KNOWS  
> also its currently 1:30am and i'm listening to a rly chill playlist and it makes me wanna write some socky so don't be surprised if u see some of that?  
> hit me (up) @[chanight](http://chanight.tumblr.com)


	8. step eight: accept your new rebel position

                If Dongmin had said he didn’t spend the next week or so worrying about Bin, he would be a liar. As he would always stand by, being a rebel didn’t mean he would change his morals.

                He had to admit that cooking so often for his rebel leader did give him a lot of practice, even if that meant that his mom called him out to help with dinner a lot more. He didn’t mind though, it gave him chances to learn more recipes and surprise Bin with dishes he hadn’t had for a while. Even though he couldn’t heal him, he would try his best to make his time in the hospital as comfortable as possible.

                Dongmin’s nose had healed nicely and the nose bleeds from gentle brushes had subsided for now. It was difficult to be in school without seeing Bin around but he knew that he would be back soon. It made him a bit frustrated that no one even brought Bin up when he hung out with the rebels. Then again, he knew they had all known him a lot longer than him. Maybe they were texting him, too. Of course they were, now that he thought about it more. They were all best friends after all. Was he a best friend for Bin?

                Once the time had past and Bin had healed enough to come back to school, it felt like everything had fallen back into the same routine, not much making him feel like their relationship had changed. It wasn’t that Dongmin expected there even was a relationship, it was just that he felt like with all the work he had put in he wanted to know more about Bin – and be allowed to.

                The rest of the semester had flied by so fast with Bin around now, and Dongmin had found graduation creeping up closer and making him more nervous. All of the bad thoughts about everything he’d have to move on from after high school was already making his heart sore. He knew that it was something he’d have to face eventually, but when his calendar had crossed into counting down tens of days to graduation he thought that maybe it would have to come sooner.

                Graduation passed without mention, and Dongmin found himself licking envelopes for his graduation party and spacing out on the floor of his room, and before he could stop himself, his hand had reached to his phone and dialed Bin’s number unconsciously. Just as his brain had recognized what he had done, Bin answered on the other side of the line. “Hey.”

                It was already ten at night now, and Dongmin’s heart was beating without stopping. “Oh. Hi.”

                “What’s up?”

                “I…I don’t know.” Dongmin bit his lip as he sealed another envelope. “I’m, uh, I’m putting together invitations for my graduation party. What’s your address?”

                Bin gave his address and the call dwindled quickly, Dongmin losing excuses to keep him on the line rather quickly. The silence was still comforting to him, and when he started hearing Bin’s snores on the other side he couldn’t bare to try and hang up.

***

                He felt a lot of frustration as his mom adjusted his tie, knowing that once he went downstairs he would have to start his party. However, he felt like his party was lacking something (read as: someone) and he couldn’t shake the feeling. Besides, his mom had insisted on dressing him up so much when he knew that everyone was going to be in casual clothes.

                The invited were mostly school friends, people like the student council and other graduates from his class, as well as some of the rebels. He didn’t expect them to come, but was pleasantly surprised when he made his way downstairs and Sanha was waving at him, his cheeks stuffed with a dessert and his aunts doting on him. However, when his eyes scanned the room to find Bin, he was at a loss. Not that he could figure out why, considering he was sure he got the invitation and knew where his house was.

                Then again, the party had really just began and there was no reason Bin couldn’t just end up coming a lot later. Dongmin stayed content with the people that did come, and absorbed himself in the party as much as he could. There was much talk of what major he was going into and what college he had applied for. Everything that came out of his mouth felt like a robot was feeding it into his brain, and he felt so disconnected he eventually excused himself and splashed his face with cold water in the bathroom.

                “What’s your deal?” Dongmin looked up from the sink to see Sanha in the reflection of the mirror standing behind him. “You’re so anxious, like a mouse or something.”

                “I didn’t do anything.” Dongmin wiped his face with a towel and adjusted his hair.

                “You’re stressed over Moon, huh?”

                Dongmin turned around with widened eyes. “Why would you say that?”

                “He’s not coming today.” Sanha’s expression had a tinge of pity, something Dongmin hadn’t seen from him before. It made him bite his tongue from asking if he was serious. “Anyway, your mom was looking for you.”

***

                Dongmin was hurt. He was hurt beyond something he could say casually or brush off, and he had to admit he had cried before he had put on his sheet mask and stared out his window. It was less that he didn’t come, and more that Sanha knew the wasn’t going to come and yet Bin never told him. It was that he was out of the loop on something that involved him. Besides, why wouldn’t Bin come to his graduation party? This was an important moment in Dongmin’s life, and he wanted Bin to be a part of it.

                A text wasn’t much to ask for, Dongmin thought to himself as he peeled off the mask and patted the rest in the mirror. His eyes were still red, he hoped they weren’t going to puff up more after this. Just as his hand brushed past his phone to grab a tissue, the screen lit up with a message from Bin. “Come outside.”

                He didn’t hesitate in scrambling to his feet and running out the door, his hand gripping around his phone as he looked around his doorstep. He was shoeless and in his pajamas, but he wasn’t prioritizing that anyway. Once his eyes locked on Bin walking a few steps closer, he felt a rush hit his stomach. He wasn’t sure why that nervousness hit him so suddenly. His mouth stayed closed since the words waiting were ‘where were you?’ and ‘why didn’t you come?’, but he trusted Bin too much not to listen to what he had to say first.

                “…Hey.” Bin stopped in front of him, his hands shoved in his pockets and a light smile resting on his face.

                “Hi.” Dongmin felt a lot more self-conscious now, remembering that he looked like a crazy person standing outside like this.

                “Sorry for calling you out so late, were you sleeping?” Dongmin nodded, and a silence fell between them. “Did you have fun at your party?”

                “Why didn’t you come?” Before Bin could interject, Dongmin continued. “You know, Sanha told me you weren’t going to come, but you never told me. Why did you do that? It really hurt, you know, since I was waiting for you to come, and I really wanted you to be here for me.” He wasn’t going to cry, but he did feel that sinking feeling in his throat.

                “I’m sorry.” Bin’s words were hushed, and he pulled Dongmin into a hug and petted his hair gently. “I didn’t want to go because it felt so final.” Dongmin hid his face in his shoulder tightly, his arms wrapping around Bin’s shoulders. “It felt like seeing you off by coming, and I think that I was scared of letting you go so soon. I just want more time with you…” He squeezed gently. “But you’ve taught me something, and because you’re the best rebel I know.”

                “What did I teach you?” Dongmin pulled partially out of the hug and met eyes with Bin.

                “That taking risks is part of being a rebel, and a very important part.”

                And that was when Bin leaned in to meet Dongmin’s lips, and the fireworks that lit Dongmin up were something he was sure to never forget. His heart pounded in his ears, and his hands covered his mouth in surprise. “I like when you take risks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that marks the end of rebel dongmin <3 thank you for following this story even though i dragged it on wayyyy too long lol. it's nice to have it finally finished.  
> hit me (up) @[chanight](http://chanight.tumblr.com)


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